This invention relates generally to bearing seals for use in sealed bearings with rolling elements and, more particularly, to a bearing seal made of polymer.
Typically, bearing seals are mounted on a bearing outer ring and have a flexible lip extending to a bearing inner ring. Conventional bearing seals are made of synthetic rubber molded around metal washer support inserts. This construction and fabrication method results in relatively costly bearing seals, increasing the cost of the sealed bearing.
Various alternative bearing seals have been proposed, to be made of a stiff, homogeneous material such as, for example, a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic. However, due to manufacturing tolerances and differences in rates of expansion between such seals and the bearing inner and outer rings, such seals fail to seal effectively when the sealed bearing undergoes a wide range of temperature.
The foregoing illustrates limitations known to exist in present devices and methods. Thus, it is apparent that it would be advantageous to provide an alternative directed to overcoming one or more of the limitations set forth above. Accordingly, a suitable alternative is provided including features more fully disclosed hereinafter.